[iainm]

Last week MS did its normal automatic downloads with 8 updates.

After its conclusion, I was unable to log onto my network. I restored my PC to the previous day's settings. At this stage I could log on OK. However, once I rebooted, I could no longer logon. I discovered that the upgrades which I had removed had beeen reinstalled on my PC. I continued restoring, disabling more and more of the updating switches to try and get back to the stable condition I was in a week ago. Eventually, however, I was unable to login at all.

Looking at my network condition, it tells me I am "Connected with limited access", a position which appears to have afflicted others recently. Using "Diagnose Connection Problems", I find that the network adapter, RealtekPCIe GBE Family Controller, is experiencing driver or hardware related issues. On device manager, it tells me that the device is working proiperly. I downoaded the latest driver (6.227.902.2009) just in case - no difference however.

I am using a Netgear router with a wireless adapter (Rangemax Wireless-N USB WN111v2). Could someone please tell me if the PCI network adaptor is still being used whilst I am operating a USB wirelesss adaptor - or does the wireless adaptor not need the PCI to operate a network (I do not have an ethernet network on the PC)??

When I run ipconfig, I get the following:

Windows IP Configuration
Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : Iains
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Hybrid
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
Tunnel adapter Local Area Connection* 8:
Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Teredo Tunneling Pseudo-Interface
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 02-00-54-55-4E-01
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

I am using a spare PC to the same Netgear router which is working fine.

I have also swapped wireless receivers between both PCs - still limited connectivity on my newer PC and good connection with the netgear wireless problem - seems to rule out hardware issues.

I am using Vista 64 SP2.

I have tried most of the suggestions from other threads including turning router off etc.

Anyone have a solution for this?

[Courtneyc]

Yes, you have static addressing setup, but you don't have a static IP address. Boot your computer (safe mode with networking will even work). Go to your network sharing center, then select properties for the network card. If your network uses DHCP, set both sections to obtain the addresses automatically. Reboot.

Courtney

[TerryNet]

I see no networking hardware in that ipconfig. Does your USB wireless show as OK in Device Manager? Does the wireless connection show in Network Connections?

[iainm]

Hi Courtneyc

Thanks for that. My network uses DHCP.

I went into safe mode with networking.

In TCP/IPv4 properties, "btain an IP address automatically"and "btain DN server address automatically" are both ticked.

In Advanced settings, DHCP is displayed as being enabled.

After rebooting, the ipconfig report still displays DHCP as not being Enabled.

Has something got corrupted somewhere?

Thanks

[iainm]

Hi TerryNet

Network is showing up OK - trying to connect gives message "connected with limited access"

The USB wireless shows device is workng OK.

When I try and connect, using 2 different devices, I get the network adapter "xxxx" is experiencing driver or hardware related issues.

I don't believe this is the problem however.

[iainm]

TerryNet

This is the equivalent ipconfig for my old PC going to the same router.
Note that I have swapped two wireless adapters around - both work in "OORCOMPUTER", neither is responding in "Iains"


Windows IP Configuration

Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : OORCOMPUTER
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Broadcast
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No

Ethernet adapter Wireless Network Connection 4:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : RangeMax Wireless-N USB Adapter WN111v2
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-22-3F-8B-10-4F
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.3
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.1
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.1
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.1
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : 21 November 2009 06:03:48
Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : 22 November 2009 06:03:48

Tunnel adapter Automatic Tunneling Pseudo-Interface:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Automatic Tunneling Pseudo-Interface
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : C0-A8-00-03
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : fe80::5efe:192.168.0.3%2
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . :
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : fec0:0:0:ffff::1%1
fec0:0:0:ffff::2%1
fec0:0:0:ffff::3%1
NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Disabled

[TerryNet]

Look at the difference between the two ipconfig /all outputs. Both show a tunnel adapter--ignore it. Only the working one shows any networking hardware (RangeMax Wireless-N USB Adapter WN111v2).

Since on Iains you've said that the wireless is looking OK in Device Manager and Network Connections but you get "network adapter "xxxx" is experiencing driver or hardware related issues" my assumption is that the USB port and the adapters are not working properly together.

Since it happens with two known good adapters the suspicion has to be with the USB port(s), but I don't know what to do as far as more trouble shooting or fixing.

You asked about "if the PCI network adaptor is still being used whilst I am operating a USB wirelesss adaptor." I know that when an ethernet controller goes bad sometimes a PCI NIC will not work and when that is the case sometimes a USB adapter will and sometimes not. I would expect your USB adapter to work even though you have no ethernet card, but I'm not 100% on that. Is it true this PC never had ethernet?

[iainm]

Hi TerryNet

I have misled you with my terminology.

I have integrated ethernet capability on the motherboard (Gigabyte ga-ma790fx-dq6). I do not however, use it, everything being wireless. I have 2 wireless adaptors for my 2 PCs, one is a PCI, the other being USB.

All devices report as working properly. All devices have the same error message when trying to connect (yesterday I tried ethernet cable from PC to router and whereas it could detect the network, it again came up with "connected with limited access").

I am assuming that both the PCI and USB adaptors run independently of the integrated motherbord adaptor when running wireless? If this is the case, I am assuming there are no hardware problems. However, if you have experience with "ethernet controller goes bad sometimes a PCI NIC will not work" maybe this is not the case (goes beyond my knowledge base).

Cheers

[TerryNet]

Well, I still haven't seen an ipconfig /all from Iains showing any networking hardware at all.

Three adapters not able to connect suggest a misconfigured or corrupted non-Windows firewall or security suite or need for the following repairs ...

(From a JohnWill post)

TCP/IP stack repair options for use with Vista or 7.

Start, Programs\Accessories and right click on Command Prompt, select "Run as Administrator" to open a command prompt.

Reset WINSOCK entries to installation defaults: netsh winsock reset catalog

Reset IPv4 TCP/IP stack to installation defaults. netsh int ipv4 reset reset.log

Reset IPv6 TCP/IP stack to installation defaults. netsh int ipv6 reset reset.log

Reboot the machine.

[iainm]

Hi TerryNet

I reset all components as per JohnWill's repair options. Unfortunately no change in status - no networking hardware in ipconfig /all

Cheers

[TerryNet]

Can we take this from the top, 'cause I'm not sure I have the right picture yet?

What devices are under Network Adapters in Device Manager. Please make sure they are enabled. And, you have no warnings or errors in Device Manager, right?

What connections are shown in Network Connections? Please make sure they are enabled.

Now, try to connect with all your adapters and please show ...

Start, Run, CMD, OK to open a command prompt:
(For Vista or 7 type CMD in the Search box after Start)

Type the following command:

IPCONFIG /ALL

[Note that there is no space between the slash and ALL.]

Right click in the command window and choose Select All, then hit Enter.
Paste the results in a message here.

If necessary use a text file and removable media to copy the results to a computer with internet access.

[iainm]

When I go into devices, the following are present:

Ateros AR5005G Wireless Network Adapter (pluggable PCI version)

Realtek PCIe GBE Family Controller (PCI but integrated in m/board)
Realtek PCIe GBE Family Controller No 2

I also have a USB equivalent (Netger W111 which is being used oin the machine I am working on now). If I substitute this for the Atheros, I get the same result except the device adapter reflects the Realtek name.

All are described to be working properly.

When I try and connect the network, the Network is showing up OK - trying to connect gives message "connected with limited access"

Going to ipconfig /all, I get the following for all devices:

Windows IP Configuration
Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : Iains
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Hybrid
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
Tunnel adapter Local Area Connection* 8:
Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Teredo Tunneling Pseudo-Interface
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 02-00-54-55-4E-01
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes


I then tried to network with the ethernet cable. I was unable to, the ipconfig failing to show the network adapter again.

However, I tried various connection routes and finally got Error 814. Googling that, there have been numerous cases where windows updates have caused this problem - only being resolved when new NIC drivers are loaded. I have the latest installed - so looks like I'll have to wait for another update.

I think restoring would have worked had windows not reinstalled the updates each time - eventually I ran out of restore points etc.

Unless you can add to this, I'm not sure what more can be done! If that's the case, thanks for your support - I've learnt quite a lot the last few days.

[TerryNet]

Things don't add up, but I'm at a loss to explain it.

The ipconfig /all still shows no networking hardware. This could be explained by all the connections in Network Connections being disabled (you didn't answer that query). But if that were the case I'm not sure you'd be able to detect the wireless network.

Sometimes a non-Windows firewall or security suite gets corrupted or misconfigured during a Windows update. But I've not seen that "hide" the adapters from ipconfig.

[iainm]

Hi TerryNet

Just to let you know I bit the bullet and formatted my drive and reloaded Vista etc (9 hour marathon including time spent working how to format my drive!).

Anyway, as soon as Vista was installed, I got immediate internet connection with my TPLink PCI g network card. I removed that and installed my USB Netgear n equivalent. Immediately the ipconfig /all readout was back to not being able to see any NICs.

I went down to the local PC store and purchased a TPLink PIC n netwirk card, installed it - and everything goes fine.

I still am not sure what the original problem was. The USB NIC worked very well for several months before the problem arose - it works well on my spare XP PC. However it did not work with a clean PC (although I did not try updating the drivers at that stage).

All the best.

[TerryNet]

Using USB for networking, and particularly a USB wireless adapter, can be problematic. My first USB wireless adapter worked OK in some computers and horribly in others. With your latest information I'd chalk this up to a very temperamental adapter.

I'm glad you found a solution and sorry you had to spend so much time on it. Thank you very much for the update.